Weekend Workshops & Book Recommendations

Thank you to all for attending this past weekends workshop. Below are a list of book recommendations that can help guide you along your photography journey.

Remember photography is to be experienced with a camera in your hand. Reading books and blogs (including this one) is only a smattering of information. Go for a walk and create something new...

Book Recommendations

Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson

Learning to See Creatively by Bryan Peterson

Zen of Creativity by John Daido Loori

Pittsburgh Photography Workshop 2.12.2011

In your gut you want to be a PHOTOGRAPHER. Or maybe you just want to learn how to use that expensive camera you just bought but you’re not sure who to ask. You have a great eye for composition but you just need some guidance, an advisor to help YOU fulfill your dreams. Make the jump from thinking, daydreaming and create great photographs…

Is this you?
-You take great pictures
-Everybody tells you that you take great pictures
-Your friends and family always ask you to bring your camera
-You bought an expensive new DSLR camera
-You have no idea how to use to it, except on AUTO
-The camera’s manual scares the bajesus out of you
-You love photography and want to get better

Who should take this workshop?
-If the list above is YOU
-You love taking photographs
-ISO, F/stop, shutter speed, and aperture are words that means nothing to you
-You have no idea what DSLR means
-If you want to able to tell your camera what to do
-If you want the mysteries of the photo universe revealed to you

What you will learn:
-Understanding exposure
-How to use your camera in manual mode
-How to take a photo “correctly” in camera
-Natural light techniques
-Understanding your lens
-Understanding White Balance
-Flash Techniques

TO REGISTER FOLLOW THIS: (HERE)
http://www.craig-photography.com/workshop/howtophoto/

Night Photography & Workshops

Up at 5:30am, feeling awake…not sure why. Went to bed at 1am. I did drink my body weight in coffee yesterday morning, maybe that had something to do with it?

Will be going out tomorrow night to do some city-night photography. I love the light and the extreme dark of the winter sky in Pittsburgh, an odd juxtaposition that only happens in the cold. Not a fan of freezing, but a fan of the results and the experience of shooting. The cold weather brings stillness to the city streets, few choose to battle the cold.

For this outing I will be changing myself to shoot night photography in a different way. Typically I perch myself atop one of the city overlooks and shoot long exposures, f/22 ISO 100 & 30seconds is my sweet spot for night compositions. Tomorrow I will be going hand-held shooting wide open with a fast ISO for the conditions. Not sure what will happen, if anything, but I will be leaving the tripod at home (that in itself will be change enough for me).

I will be teaching my last workshop of the year tonight. Next series of workshops will not start until late January. The HOW TO EVERYTHING workshop is back for only one date this year. You can book (HERE) if interested.

Looking for some good novels to read, any recommendations are welcomed.

This Week ~ Updates

Tuesday ~ Create | Connect | Grow (info HERE)
Thursday ~ Photo Workshop in McKeesport
Friday ~ Photo-Walk

Others Stuff….

So thrilled to announce that Elizabeth and I finally nailed down a date for our HOW TO EVERYTHING: PHOTOGRAPHY workshop!

If you would like to have the mysteries of the photo-universe revealed (well…most of them at least ) then this is for you! See below for further info.

TO REGISTER FOLLOW THIS LINK!
http://craig-photography.com/workshop/howtophoto/

New Project

“Creativity is only art if it’s shared.”

That sentence is the corner stone to a new project that I am starting.

The project is based on the subject of managing your photography life & biz. If I write this correctly you will come to think of your personal life and professional life to be married into one fluid life, which I call “Deliberate Living”.

My current working titles are “PHOTONOMICS”, “ART*LOGIKE” . Not sure which title I like yet. Any thoughts are welcomed.

Too often running a photography business feels like doing homework, rather than the work you were meant to do.

Does this sound like you? “I just need to get this thing done (return e-mails) before moving on to the next thing that needs done (updating social media) so I can get to my fun work: the creative stuff that I want to do.”

There are too many jobs within jobs that all need equal attention to keep the business moving forward.

What if you could do one thing deliberately with many positive outcomes?

It’s a business first, even if your business is to create art. That is a hard thing to say out loud for the majority of us who work in photography.

Art and commerce have a long-standing love affair with each other that is not going to go away, especially in this digital culture.

****************

Curious? So What do you think?

As always, share your thoughts with me....

How to Avoid Social Media Homework

Tips on how-to-avoid social media as homework…

One of the things I am finding interesting lately is how professional photographers view social media in terms of marketing, community building and growing their businesses.

It seems that the old-time, established photographers (35 yrs and older…sorry to whoever I just offended...deepest apologies) look at social media as another thing added to the ever-expanding To-Do-list. While the younger generation (Gen-Y) looks at social media as the only thing to do.

Digital-life-business-culture is here, support it, do not avoid it. (But there is no need to be overwhelmed by it either.)

Part 1: Social media is not something added to your workload…it's a tool to cut your workload in half.

This is why social medial is a tool & not homework. It is one of the few (if not only) business tools that allows to you accomplish many things with one action (a.k.a. timesaver)

I have yet to meet one photographer who misses the brick and mortar studio. The overhead itself has created many studios to fail. With the brick and mortar studio gone so is the traditional marketing and advertising that used to work.

Majority of photographers do not want to market or advertise; they want to create great photographs

Then do that, let photography be your marketing and advertising.

In the brick and mortar studio days we had storefront sidewalks. Nobody understood the value of those sidewalks until they went away.

What did the sidewalk provide that is lost in today’s digital-storefront?

Walk-by traffic
Drive-by traffic
Community
Storefront windows
Neighboring businesses
Conversation

Reasons why to think of social media as a tool

Findability
Shows that you are authentic
Conversation starter

The #1 reason is…Social media, if used correctly, will cut through the clutter of adverting and marketing that you don’t want to do anyway.

Part 2 - How-to-tips on social media as a tool

Create, Connect & Grow - Do one thing with multiple outcomes.

Create something new, and share it – This is the formula to success: “create & share”. Those who work constantly work, well...constantly. And those who do not constantly work go out of business, forever.

Deliver it, ship it, constantly – Show up for work, daily. There is no longer a brick and mortar store or a sidewalk to let people know that you showed up today. Social media gives you the opportunity to unlock your store, turn on the lights and flip over the Open for Business sign on your door front.

Decommoditize – you’re the only thing that cannot be copied. People buy from people they know. Let them know about YOU!

Learn to love “Feeds” “RSS” & “Ping.fm” (be sure to click on the hyper links if these words mean nothing to you)

Set the rules you want – You now have the tools to build whatever future you want, enjoy.

Build your portfolio and grow your business with the same actions…and its FREE.

I'd like to hear from you. So what do you think?

Create | Connect | Grow with Jared Platt

Learn the very best workflow practices for your photography studio from professional photographer and instructor Jared Platt. Cut your workflow in half, increase the quality of your work and raise your brand to a new level.


FREE Q&A/Create-Connect-n-Grow
Topic: Meet Jared Platt and hear him speak on Lightroom workflow.
When: 7/20/10
Where: 502 W. North Ave. Pgh 15212
Time: 7pm – 9pm
RSVP: craigphotography@mac.com

Workshops Details: Jared Platt – Lightroom Workflow Workshop

This seminar is a one day class room seminar. You will work on your own images throughout the day. Come ready to work and to learn.

Place: Pittsburgh, PA
Date: Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Address: 502 W. North Ave. Pgh 15212
Time: 9 AM - 5 PM
Seats Available: 30
Price: $300 (lunch included)
Register by clicking (HERE)

Photography "Lighting" Q&A 6.22.10

New Dates Announced

5.18.10 –
Pictage/PUG ~ Create Connect & Grow
7 to 9 ~
7:00 to 7:30 cocktails & networking
7:30 to 9pm intro to new PUG followed by Q&A
Location
Studio ~ 502 W. North Ave, Pittsburgh PA 15212

**Open to ALL photographers, including students

RSVP at craigphotography@mac.com

6.9.10 - Boudoir workshop w/ Elizabeth

6.10.10 -
Understanding Exposure Class @ Northland Library 7-9pm I will be teaching an introductory class on understanding exposure & your DSLR camera.
To register call: 412-366-8100

6.15.10 -
Pictage/PUG ~ Create Connect & Grow
7 to 9 ~
7:00 to 7:30 cocktails & networking
7:30 to 9pm into to new PUG followed by Q&A (topic/speaker TBD)
Location
Studio ~ 502 W. North Ave, Pittsburgh PA 15212

**Open to ALL photographers, including students

RSVP at craigphotography@mac.com

6.17.10 -
Understanding Exposure class @ Northland Library 7-9pm (Part II) ~ I will be teaching an introductory class on understanding exposure & Your DSLR camera.
To register call: 412-366-8100

6.24.10 -
Photo Walk
Topic: Dusk on the North Shore
Time: 7:30 pm
Where: Gate “A” Heinz Stadium Pittsburgh PA
What to bring: camera, tripod, passion to learn and a friend.

Boudoir Photography Workshop: NOW BOOKING

Here is your chance to get intimate with Elizabeth. She is holding a "Boudoir Photography Workshop"

Tomorrow Night ~ Photo Walk (Reminder)

Topic: Night Photography & Fireworks (after the Pirate game)
Date: April 17
Time: 9:30 ~ Fireworks around 10ish
Where: West End Overlook, Pittsburgh PA
What to bring: Camera, tripod, passion to learn and a friend.

Workshop: NOW BOOKING
You can click HERE to go straight to the registration page, or you can contact us at craigphotography@mac.com or 724.355.9079 with any questions.

All photography & artwork on this site is licensed under a creative commons licensing: Please feel free to use and distribute the photography & artwork in accordance with the licensing

Shoot N' Learn | Conect N' Grow

In episode one David & I discuss our upcoming Photo-Walk & recommend a few of the books that we have recently enjoyed.

Rework by Jason Fried & David Hansson
Linchpin By Seth Godin

Workshop: NOW BOOKING

You can click HERE to go straight to the registration page, or you can contact us at craigphotography@mac.com or 724.355.9079 with any questions.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Workshop: NOW BOOKING

In your gut you want to be a PHOTOGRAPHER. You have a great eye for composition but you just need some guidance, to help YOU fulfill your dreams.

Make the jump from thinking and daydreaming and create great photographs…

You can click HERE to go straight to the registration page, or you can contact us at craigphotography@mac.com or 724.355.9079 with any questions.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Last Night's Q&A

Thanks to all that attended last night, your questions were remarkable. An extra special thank you to my partner in this project, David Burke. David set up the live web screening last night. An extra 26 people on the web were able to take part.

Sunday's Workshop

If photography wasn’t a mystery it wouldn’t be a worthy pursuit.

I have been uttering the same phrase for over the past year at Workshops and Photo –Walks

“give up on perfection and develop your practice”.

That’s it. That is the mystery of the photo-universe revealed to you.

An artist will never be perfect. That is the only expectation of art; mastering the imperfection of your mind, tools and craft.

Enjoy your journey and create something new, daily.

You can download yesterday's workshop power point (HERE)
E-book ~ A new way to think about that old portfolio: The Photographer's Blog (HERE)
List of the websites we discussed: Flickr, Creative Commons, Mpix, B&H, Photoshop….Please, please, please remember ~ photography is not about purchasing something, it's about practicing something...

Thanks for attending….

Peace ~ John

FREE Photography Q&A

OK all you budding photogs and all you wise and all-knowing seasoned photogs--now is your chance to get together and either seek wisdom or bestow your wisdom in the land of PHOTOGRAPHY.

Elizabeth and I will be hosting a FREE Q&A/Shoot-N-Learn/Connect-N-Grow on March 18, 2010 at our studio at 502 W. North Ave, Pgh 15212. Please RSVP if you plan to attend.

What you can expect:

*Lots of open talk regarding photography: business, technical, composition...etc

*An open forum to ask any questions you have regarding anything to do with photography

*A chance to meet others in your field and help to build a strong network

*Lots of drinks, food and general merriment provided ;-)

Please RSVP to craigphotography@mac.com

Hope to see you there!

In 15 Days ~ Q&A Meet-Up

Shoot N’ Learn, Connect N' Grow
We invite you to join us and ask all your burning photog questions:
~ FREE to all
~ Open to all interested in photography, art and business
~ If you attended a past Workshop or a Photo-Walk it’s a good time to get any problems fixed
~ Meet local photographers of all levels, make a friend, find a mentor
~ Discover why its better to collaborate then compete

You
~ Bring your questions, camera and smile (bottle of wine optional)

When
Thursday--3/18, 7pm-9pm

Location
Studio ~ 502 W. North Ave, Pittsburgh PA 15212

RSVP, Please craigphotography@mac.com

PS. A good read by David Burke (HERE)
PSS. See all Craig Photography events (HERE)

So, Curious…let’s discuss

Workshop: NOW BOOKING

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER VIA PAYPAL (you do not need a Paypal account to use Paypal; just a credit card)

A Big Thanks

Thank you to all who attended the Q & A/Meet & Greet last night.

Last night was a night of remarkable questions, thoughts provoking conversation and making of new friendships. Photographers of all different levels came out to share their thoughts and opinions on photography.

An extra big thank you to my wife Elizabeth and David Burke for co-hosting this event.

We made a new friendship in another husband and wife photography team that will be moving to Pittsburgh next year. Elizabeth Vincent Photography, so go to their blog and leave a welcoming comment for them; let them know that Pittsburghers are a welcoming people even after a losing to the Browns.

Lastly to the lady who brought the pepperoni roll, God bless you Nikki…it was awesome…